Echotone

A New York Times Critics' Pick and one of Paste Magazine's Top Documentaries of 2011, ECHOTONE is a cultural portrait of the modern American city examined through the lyrics and lens of its creative class. Featuring Black Joe Lewis, Cari Palazolo, Bill Baird, Dana Falconberry, and performances by Ghostland Observatory, The Octopus Project, the Black Angels and more, this lyrical documentary provides a telescopic view into the lives of Austin's vibrant young musicians as they grapple with questions of artistic integrity, commercialism, experimentation, and the future of their beloved city. Directed by Nathan Christ and photographed by Robert Garza.

Dance Time: Victorian Era Couple Dances, Vol. 5 continues the tradition of The Romance of Mid-19th Century Couple Dances. The viewer re-visits the classic 19th century couple dances in order to explore 32 innovative step variations, which were developed in the last part of the 19th century. The Waltz flourished with turning embellishments; the Polka blossomed into playful variations; the Galop rose to a new level of expertise; and the Mazurka became the major showpiece of the era. As with all videos in the How to Dance Through Time series, the dances are introduced with a concise, historical overview and illustrated with authentic photographs and drawings. The steps were carefully researched from period manuscripts and are recreations of historical dances. Close up and slow motion views make learning the moves simple and fun. Dance historian and choreographer Carol Téten is an engaging presence in the series, providing historical context and calling out dance instructions as professional dancers demonstrate. Following each instructional section, dancers from the Dance Through Time company perform with authentic music and fashions of the era.

In the late 60s the album, formerly just a collection of singles, established itself as the ultimate musical statement, and an album sleeve art culture was born that forsook obvious band photos for graphical invention and far more ambitious visual pastures. We open this episode with the story of the fashions that accompanied British pop and the people who had the look. No other country's musicians share even a fraction of the image-fixation that has always characterised the best British pop. From The Beatles' moptop hairdos to the punks' Mohicans, the grey shirts of Joy Division to the tunic and feathers of Adam Ant, the androgynous glitz of glam rock to the Jewish Rastafarian chic of Culture Club, the sharp lines of Mod to the dungarees of acid house, Anthony Price suits to the gypsy romance of Dexy's Midnight Runners and beyond, British music always comes packaged with an ingeniously constructed image. We follow this with the story of successive waves of pioneering British album art, from the sensual psychedelia of Nigel Waymouth and Hapshash in the 60s, to the domination of Storm Thorgerson and Hipgnosis in the 70s, with their elaborate surrealist imagery and visual puns, to the situationist shock tactics of Jamie Reid and punk, the industrial minimalism and fresh fonts of Peter Saville, Malcolm Garrett and the Manchester connection, and on to the appropriately anonymous, computer generated flyers of the rave age. This is the story of how British pop captured the world's heart through its eyes.

Tooth & Nail Records was started in 1993 by Brandon Ebel and quickly became the most controversial record label of the '90s. No New Kinda Story is a no-holds-barred, behind the scene look at the rise, fall, and rebirth of the iconic label.

A singular and masterfully executed film that is at once concert tribute, Marley family travelogue, and humanitarian documentary, Africa Unite ignites the screen with the spirit of world-renowned reggae icon Bob Marley in its every frame. In commemoration of Bob's 60th birthday, Africa Unite is centered on the Marleys' first-time-ever family trip to Ethiopia. There, in the capital city Addis Ababa, three generations of Marleys take part in a landmark one week event including a 12-hour concert like no other, attended by more than 350,000 people from around the world, with the ultimate purpose of inspiring the young generations of Africa to unite for the future of their continent. Features electrifying on-stage performances by the Marley brothers, a soundtrack studded with Bob Marley studio classics, appearances by UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador/actor Danny Glover, world music sensation Angelique Kidjo, and a host of other musicians.

Billy Talbot is best known as a founding member of Crazy Horse, perhaps the most famous backing band in the world. Throughout his decades touring and recording with Neil Young, Talbot has always written and played his own music. On The Road To Spearfish evokes a journey that is at once of this world and mythic. The spirit of what Talbot has helped create with Neil Young and Crazy Horse over many years also flows through the record on a more personal scale, channeled through Talbot s meditations on the world of Spearfish and beyond.

The West Coast pop-punk quartet Jack's Mannequin experienced a sad and difficult day in 2005, when frontman Andrew McMahon - then only 23 years old - received a diagnosis from his physician that he had contracted cancer. In response, McMahon began shooting a deeply personal, self-reflexive video diary of the days in between that initial diagnosis (which coincided with the first Jack's Mannequin album, Everything in Transit) and the onset of his treatment; that footage appears in this intimate release. The material also includes footage from McMahon's childhood in the 1980s and 1990s, and behind-the-scenes material documenting the production of Everything in Transit. Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee narrates.

The American Dream is the feature-length film that is based on the inspirational real life rise of Mike Jones from the streets to the beginnings of stardom thanks to music. Co-written and executive produced by Jones--and shot in his hometown of Houston--The American Dream stars the rapper along with Clifton Powell, Hassan Johnson and Tamala Jones.

Anita O’Day was one of the greatest of American jazz singers and this is her astonishing story—a journey of survival, and above all the endurance of her talent, told in a number of frank interviews with her and with those who knew her. Her career was long and eventful, spanning seven decades, her last album recorded when she was 84. Anita O’Day only ever wanted to be a singer and the film showcases performances that date back to the 50s with such artists as Gene Krupa, Roy Eldridge, Stan Kenton, Louis Armstrong and Hoagy Carmichael. She is shown teaching Billy Taylor how to be a jazz vocalist. She speaks candidly, always candidly, with Dick Cavett, Bryant Gumble and David Frost, with clips from interviews done on 60 Minutes and CBS This Morning. Bert Stern, commenting on his experience filming Anita perform Sweet Georgia Brown for his film Jazz on a Summer’s Day, said it was the greatest rendition of the song ever made. Anita was a musical genius and pioneer who broke reverse race barriers. She was commonly regarded as one of the top female artists of her time, together with Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Billie Holiday. The film portrays her as a woman who lived her life the way she wanted without ever looking back. She speaks openly about how she had to overcome great adversities, including a 20-year addiction to heroin and alcohol. She chose never to have children and married for only a brief period. She lived an often lonely life that was sustained only by her passion for music. Personalities talk about her quirky personality, while jazz critics and her few still living contemporaries speak of her extraordinary talent and how amazing it is that she continued to sing for so long. The film shows Anita on tour in Europe well into her eighties and her making that final recording, shortly before her death, the death of an icon.

Wings For Wheels The Making of Born To Run is a 90-minute documentary chronicling the definitive story of the creation of the album, from songwriting to production and beyond. Wings for Wheels boasts archival film never shown publicly, including substantial footage of Springsteen and the E Street Band recording the album, 1975 concert film and other footage shot between 1973 and 1975. The film also features exclusive footage of Springsteen playing solo piano and guitar versions of songs from 'Born to Run.' In addition, Wings for Wheels incorporates newly filmed interviews with Bruce Springsteen, as well as E Street Band members past and present and the production team: Roy Bittan, Ernest "Boom" Carter, Clarence Clemons, Danny Federici, Nils Lofgren, David Sancious, Patti Scialfa, Garry Tallent, Stevie Van Zandt, Max Weinberg, Jon Landau, Jimmy Iovine, Mike Appel, and Eric Meola.

‘The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars’ is arguably the most influential albums in the mind-blowing career of David Bowie. Released in 1972, it's the record that set Bowie on course to becoming one of the best-known pop stars on the planet. In just over a year, Bowie invaded the minds of the nation's youth with a killer combination of extraterrestrial rock 'n' roll and outrageous sexuality, all delivered in high-heeled boots, multicoloured dresses and extravagant make-up. Ziggy turned Bowie into stardust. This documentary tells the story of how Bowie became one of the most iconic creations in the history of pop music. From his music, the fashion and the theatrical stage presentation merged together which turned David Bowie into the biggest craze since the Beatles. Ziggy's instant success gave the impression that he was the perfectly planned pop star. But, as the film reveals his career was full of highs and lows to hit on just the right formula that would take him to the top.

Filmmakers Mark Christopher Covino and Jeff Howlett profile obscure, early-1970s Detroit proto-punk outfit Death, who disbanded before releasing a single album, but who were vindicated nearly 30 years later when their 1974 demo tape was released to much fanfare. Formed by three Detroit siblings six years before the Sex Pistols stormed the airwaves with "God Save the Queen," Death's blisteringly aggressive music was initially dismissed by record labels more interested in cashing-in on the glitzy disco craze. As contracts were cancelled and debts mounted, the band that ushered in a dangerous new era of music vanished into obscurity. Three decades later, however, the discovery of Death's only demo reveals just how far ahead of their time the band really was.

A completely new way of experiencing and enjoying the great works of music from the Baroque to the modern period – thanks to a new series of audio-visual concert guides, Masterpieces of Classical Music. Each release includes extensive documentation and a complete performance of the work or works in question.

Famous masterpieces from the standard repertoire of the greatest international orchestras are brought closer to the viewer through first class concert broadcasts (Berliner Philharmoniker, Wiener Philharmoniker, Gewandhaus Orchester…) in a timely visual style.

The “Jupiter” Symphony is regarded as a milestone not only in Mozart’s symphonic output but, on a more general level, in the development of the Classical symphony.

The distinguished conductor Hartmut Haenchen explains how Mozart pulled out all the stops as a composer, revealing not just boldness but sheer genius, too.

“I always like stories about people that drink and have drug problems and women problems,” said Johnny in the film. “It’s just interesting.” Johnny Winter: Down & Dirty, the definitive, feature-length documentary by acclaimed Lemmy co-director and producer, Greg Olliver, will be available worldwide on March 4, 2016, on DVD and iTunes. The package will feature never-before-seen photos and bonus footage, including extended interviews and his final studio performance, a solo resonator version of the Son House classic, “Death Letter.” Produced independently through Secret Weapon Films in NYC, director Greg Olliver was welcomed into the Johnny Winter family during the final two years of Johnny’s life, capturing the making of his Grammy-winning Step Back (Best Blues Album, 2015), and traveling the world from Beaumont to Hong Kong. Winter continued to perform over 200 sold out shows a year until his death on tour in Switzerland in 2014. The film also features Clive Davis, Edgar Winter, James Cotton, Billy Gibbons, Warren Haynes, Luther Nallie, Joe Perry, Tommy Shannon, Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks and more.

Paul Pena heard a sound, something intensely beautiful but disturbing at the same time, coming from his short-wave radio. The sound was that of Tuvan throat-singers, a sound that changed his life forever and sent him on a journey across the world to a land unknown. In his search for harmony and the answer to a mystifying obsession, music helped Pena bridge two cultures. This Academy Award-nominated film is the story of a blind blues musician and his triumphant trek to the forgotten land of Tuva and the mysterious art of khöömei, or throat-singing, a seemingly impossible form of singing that produces multiple vocal tones simultaneously. Paul Pena, who has played with the likes of Bonnie Raitt, T-Bone Walker, John Lee Hooker, Jerry Garcia, Muddy Waters and BB King, travels to Tuva to live among the descendants of Genghis Khan and compete in their triennial khöömei contest.

In recent times, music lovers have been confounded with the tragic and shocking news that some of their most beloved stars had passed away in controversial circumstances. The music world has again been stunned by the sudden and tragic news that Prince, the legendary musician, died at his home in Minneapolis at the age of just 57, and it was recently confirmed the singer died of an opioid overdose. He was one of the most naturally gifted artists of all time, and also one of the most mysterious. In the Eighties, at a time when other megastars such as Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, and Madonna, were delivering an album every three years or so, Prince remained prolific to an almost inhuman degree. A byproduct of his inexhaustible output was Prince's tendency toward wayward, self-indulgent career moves that sometimes alienated even his most ardent supporters. His influence is unparalleled, and his legacy will live on through his inspirational music. In this fascinating documentary, we take an in depth look into the life and times of one of music’s greatest performers…Prince.

In 1964, The Who became one of the key figures of the British Invasion, taking the American music scene by storm. While Roger Daltrey, Pete Townsend and Keith Moon took the spotlight with their on stage antics, John Entwistle, dubbed "The Quiet One," stood in the shadows... poised to become the biggest bass player in rock and roll. With his arena-rock days behind him, Entwistle continued down his own path, finding great musical freedom with the John Entwistle Band. In 2002, after years of touring his solo project, Entwistle couldn't resist the lure of bringing back one of the greatest bands in rock and roll history. Tragically, plans for The Who's North American Reunion Tour were cut short when on the eve of the first show John was found dead in his Las Vegas hotel room. "The Ox," as Entwistle was affectionately known, left behind many fans and several unfinished projects. With his passing, the world lost a musical legend, dubbed Guitar Magazine's "Bassist of the Millennium." Narrated by Peter Frampton, John Entwistle: An Ox's Tale covers the life of John Entwistle, from his first public performance at the age of 14 to his feelings about The Who's most recent reunion. This film contains the last footage and interviews ever shot with Entwistle, offering the one chance for fans to discover the real life behind the man who far exceeded his greatest aspirations.

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